The Journey: 薄桜鬼遠征录 Hakuouki Enseiroku
by Arhani 'Hanny' Daforcena
Summary: The world knows much of Kazama Chikage. He is a ruthless, arrogant creature, whose power is rivaled by few. But before the battle-lines of the Bakumatsu had been drawn, he was already a warrior who held the destiny of his family on his shoulders. What led him to such a path, and what caused him to walk it willingly? Prequel to The Quest: 薄桜鬼追迹录 Hakuouki Tsuisekiroku.
1. Prologue

"Obaa-sama, let me out!" a boy cried, pounding at the doors of his room. There was nothing he could do to unlock the doors. His grandmother was the last one he had seen, and had instructed him not to leave his room unless she allowed him to do so. She would never lock him up alone before, even at his naughtiest, which was why he knew that something had gone wrong. Terribly wrong.

There was literally nothing in his room that could help him to escape, save for a porcelain vase, filled with moist dirt. He had gotten it ready to plant the strange red flower with five petals that his father tended to in the memory of his long-gone mother, but he knew that it would have to wait. Reaching for the vase with his small hands, he took it down from the cupboard it was placed upon and raised it high above his head.

After a few deep breaths, he took aim. Then, he closed his eyes, and remembered what his father told him the morning previous during his lessons. "Remember, my son, Ki is the basis of the existence of all living beings. Our people have our powers, because we have more of them, and can use them more efficiently than the humans. The more you cultivate it, the more powerful you will become…" He concentrated, and focused all his internal energy on the vase, adding a silent prayer to whatever deity existed, to make his plan work.

With a great shout, he threw the vase towards the shoji door, which broke into pieces. Wasting not a second, he ran towards the courtyard of his family's manor, but found no one there. There was not a sound to be heard, and not a soul to be heard.

He was about to turn towards another direction, the back of the manor, perhaps, when he heard a great crash coming from the main hall, where his family received their guests of honor. The sound reminded him of breaking furniture, and promptly guided him to where he needed to go.

As he came closer to the main hall, he started to see more and more silhouettes there. They were members of his large family, his cousins, uncles and aunts… But where were his father and grandmother? He could not see them, or sense their presence anywhere…

The boy started to run as fast as his legs could bring him. Crossing the courtyard never seemed so difficult, his destination further to him due to the deep sense of foreboding in his heart… Too many long seconds had passed, and panting, he finally reached the main hall. Pushing past the adults that blocked his way, he finally found his grandmother, who quickly drew him into her arms.

"Don't look, young one!" she warned, covering his eyes. Something… _bad_ was happening. He could feel it in his bones.

"Obaa-sama, where is Otou-sama?" he asked his grandmother, struggling against her strong hold. Although she was of a venerable age, she was still sprightly, holding an untold amount of strength if she wished to. "I want to see Otou-sama!"

A cold laugh cackled through the air, and his grandmother took a step back, taking him with her. It was the voice of his uncle, his father's brother. "Your father is no more, boy," he chuckled evilly, snatching the boy away from his grandmother. Held by the wrist, the boy could only gape in the utter shock at the sight of his father, in a pool of his own blood, his heart clearly punctured. "Soon, you will join him…"

"How dare you!" the boy's grandmother shouted. "He is your brother's _son_! He is now the rightful head of our family, not you!" Tears descended from her eyes in rivers, but her words went unheeded. She endeavored to snatch the boy back from her son, but he pushed her back.

"Hmph, such a child is no challenge to me," the boy's uncle sniggered. "What can he do?"

The boy sobbed as he looked at the corpse of his father, but he knew that it would be the last time he had shown such weakness. He wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his silken yukata, and walked towards his father's fallen katana and picked it up. He did not speak, but aimed the katana towards his uncle.

"Do you even know how to use it, boy?" his uncle taunted further. "You've been hiding behind your grandmother's skirts for far too long…"

He shouted. The boy gave a great, loud shout, and remembering his experience with the vase and the doors to his chamber, he concentrated all his Ki onto his father's katana. He took the high guard, a default stance that his father had taught him several summers ago, and watched his uncle, who only raised an eyebrow at him.

When he no longer had the voice to call out further, he took a great step forwards, and found himself right in front of his uncle. Thrusting the katana forwards, he aimed for his uncle's heart, to replicate what he had done to his father. What followed was utter silence, save for a sickening splatter of fluid pouring out from a newly-punctured crevice.

The boy threw away the katana as his uncle knelt down and fell back, dead. He turned towards his grandmother and knelt down to her, seeing that she was too distraught for words.

"Obaa-sama, from now on, I will protect you, and everyone else in our family," he swore, his head held low as he prostrated himself to his grandmother, and the rest of his clan. "I'll become so strong and powerful that _no one_ will ever want to think of harming us."

His grandmother was silent, but put a gentle hand on his head, stroking his sun-gold hair that was now stained red with the blood of his traitorous uncle. "I know, child. I know," she replied. "You will make your father proud, my dear, brave Chikage."

* * *

HAN: HELLO THERE! I've returned, and decided that instead of writing a sequel for The Quest: Hakuouki Tsuisekiroku, I'd write a prequel, curtailing Kazama's journeys that would lead him to meet Chizuru. Heh heh heh. I was struck by a sudden burst of inspiration, because I was watching Otomate Party 2012 and 2013, where both Hakuouki and Toki no Kizuna were featured at the same time. Itou Kentarou's Kazama Chitose made me very intrigued regarding his descendant's childhood, and thus, I decided to turn a little plot-bubble into a project.

I do hope that you enjoy this as much as you've enjoyed The Quest!


	2. The Awakening

Kamaza Chikage's eyes shot open and he rose from his futon covered in cold sweat, the images of the past dancing freely in his mind. Panting as he remembered the sight of his dead father, and the resulting anger, fear and trauma that led him to take his father's fallen katana to exact vengeance upon his uncle, he threw away his blanket and decided to exit his room to have a breath of the cool, night air.

The moon was full that night, glowing amber, surrounded by uncounted stars. Autumn was kind to Kagoshima, the seat of his family's influence and power, a bastion of safety to all those of his race in the surrounding regions. Ever since he was a boy, he had guarded his family as its head, thrust into a position of great power and responsibility at such a tender age. Now a man grown, his cares and worries did not end one bit. In fact, he sensed that they would grow, in an ever-increasing pace.

"Nightmares again, Kazama?" a deep voice intruded his thoughts. He looked towards his right, and found Amagiri Kyuuju, the third son of the Amagiri clan's head, sworn to his service ever since he took his late father's position as the head of his family. The two of them had trained and studied together ever since. Although on paper, Amagiri would be his lackey in every meaning of the word, but they regarded one another as brothers in arms, although they rarely showed it on their faces.

Kazama harrumphed. "I still cannot shake off that habit of having them," he replied. Amagiri had been one of the few who knew that he had those nightmares because of their close relationship. A long time ago, he had found them to be a source of terror, and now, he had learned not to fear them, but he found them to a source of weakness. Every time he had those nightmares, he had felt utter regret that he could not reach his father in time, even though he knew that it was high time for him to move on from the past.

"You must learn not to abide by them," Amagiri advised him, crossing his arms as he leaned against the balcony. "How long has it been since your late father passed on?"

"Sixty years," Kazama answered. Sixty years was roughly an entire lifetime of a human in that age, and he was barely considered a man grown. The Oni lived lives far longer than that of humans, but there was a time when the Oni were not wholly ageless. Assimilation with humans had thinned out their powers and their life-spans, but since the coming of the Tokugawa Era, following the madness and the chaos of the Battle of Sekigahara, the Oni Council had commanded the leaders of each Oni clan to distance themselves from humankind, and their blood began to run pure again. Sons and daughters lived longer than their parents, and now, those of his generation were expect to live for several centuries at most.

In those sixty years, Kazama Chikage had proven himself to be one of the most successful clan-leaders in recent times. With the increasing rebelliousness of humans that governed the Satsuma-han, he took a risk of cultivating silk in his family's lands, to be traded with the foreign ships that secretly docked in the ports of Kagoshima Bay, which in turn gave his family monetary access to items like medicine, and better crops to grow for themselves apart from the agricultural goods like giant radishes, tea, various oranges and rice-liquors. The Kazama family's village had become something like a self-sufficient establishment, a mystery to the denizens of the capital of the Satsuma-han, but also a boon to its economy. Hana, his illustrious grandmother, had seen to it that her grandson would become not only a formidable warrior, but also an ingenious administrator and steward of the activities of his clan, because they were the heads of the Oni in the western regions of Japan, having the allegiances of the Amagiri and Shiranui clans, although they all had equal voices on the Oni Council.

Yet… he knew that all those achievements would be for naught, if not for a certain red mark on the list of expectations placed upon him. Already a man in the eyes of his people, and already able to ensure the security of his clan and lands, he still had one goal to accomplish. He would have to secure a wife, and if possible, a strong heir. His grandmother would prefer a girl-child and a boy for great-grandchildren, in that particular order. Nothing short of a pure-blooded Oni female would do for his choice, and due to the lack in number of Oni females to start with, his quest for a fitting wife tarried ever longer without bearing fruit.

He had seen no need for a wife, because for sixty years he had led his family through a tumultuous time, having survived in-fighting from within his clan. When his late father was the head of the family, the administration of the clan was split with his uncle, and with the outcome of such an arrangement, he was not ready to delegate anything to anyone else, nor was he willing to put his life and the fate of his clan on the line. He would only give such duties to those he trusted with his life, and currently, he would only task Amagiri to the more… logistical sides of his duties.

"So, you have finally tired of handling everything by yourself, and finally want to find a wife?" Amagiri asked. Those sixty years did not come easily for Kazama. Between weapons training, learning to govern a large village of close relatives in various holdings, and becoming politically savvy in the affairs of the Oni Council, there was not a moment when Kazama Chikage (and to some degree, Amagiri himself) had any opportunity to rest.

"The old goats only claim that I am overworking myself, they have no proof," Kazama answered, massaging his templers, as if he was nursing a headache. Despite the seemingly disrespectful pronoun he used for the elders of his clan, comprising of the five oldest and most venerable individuals bearing the Kazama surname, including his grandmother, who had watched over the clan for more than a full century, Kazama had no qualms putting them on the high pedestal all Oni elders were placed upon. If they could survive through the ages in such a chaotic world, they would certainly not to be trifled with. Looking towards the east, where the first light of dawn could already be seen from the seaward horizon, he exhaled a deep, labored breath. "They have chosen the daughter of the Yukimura clan for me."

Amagiri furrowed his eyebrow. "Is she not just a child?" he asked Kazama. A few years ago, the Yukimura clan, another clan on the Oni Council, of great and proud lineage, disseminated news of great happiness. A set of twins were born to the clan-leader, Chizo, a famed Oni-healer, and one benevolent to humans, and more importantly, the set of twins were fraternal. The older had been a boy, and the younger, a girl. Both were given names befitting of clan-leaders, signifying that they would both be trained to hold their father's office one day.

"Child or not, it's just a formality," Kazama said. Such was the tedium and irony of the Oni race. Too preoccupied with their own rituals and social structures, they would keep to the ways prescribed to their ancestors despite their great personal freedoms, because it was the only form of comfort for them, a diminishing race fighting to survive. There was completely nothing to stop him from taking any woman he wanted to as a wife, but Kazama knew that it was better that he took a female who had the same pure Oni blood as he did, for Oni married for life. It would be counter-productive if he married a woman only to have her die halfway through his lifetime, and he would be forced to take up all the work again. Of course, if the girl were to have chosen another in the future, she would be free to cancel the engagement. Kazama would just have to pursue her to the ends of the earth in order to achieve his goals.

The home of the Yukimura clan was deep in the mountains of Japan's eastern plains. Their territory was not as wide as that of the Kazama's beachfront lands, but they guarded several sacred rivers blessed by whatever deity that watched over their race, and the waters of those rivers were said to be able to cure every sickness known to the world. So clean and pure were the waters of the Yukimura village that they glittered in the sunlight… or so the legends ran.

Kazama was acquainted well with Yukimura Chizo, who was slightly older than he was. There was many a time when he had written to Yukimura, asking advice that only those of their station could answer. The only difference between them, was that Yukimura was a known sympathizer of humans. The humans who lived nearby the Yukimura village went there in droves to learn the secrets of their medicine, but were granted nothing. Instead, Yukimura ensured that the Oni under his command would never turn a human down in need. Kazama, on the other hand, was content to let them rot as they so deserved, being the monstrous, destructive people they were. There could not be two more different individuals.

"We leave for the Yukimura village this afternoon," Kazama told Amagiri. A ship had already been prepared to bring the elders of not only the Kazama clan but also the Amagiri elders, who would act as witnesses for the groom. The royal clan, the descendants of Suzuka Gozen, would do the same for the Yukimura family. The very fact that he had no hand in the preparations of the journey towards the Yukimura lands spoke volumes that his clan elders never wanted to give him a choice in any of the arrangements made.

"You seem unwilling to get on with it," Amagiri commented, noticing a slightly more pronounced scowl on Kazama's face. However, this would not be the first time he was forced to secede to his family's wishes. The elders of his clan were a wily, sneaky bunch, knowing that he would refuse any suggestion or opinion they had.

"It is unnecessary," he replied and turned back towards his room. He needed to pack for the journey as well, and luckily for him, his grandmother was often very approving of the wardrobe that he had chosen for himself. He would be wearing the colors of his family, gold, red and black to the betrothal ceremony, and would have to coordinate his clothes according to those colors.

It did not take him too long to pack what he needed, from his clothes, to several books that would keep him company during the seawards journey to Edo, and then towards the Yukimura lands on foot. His preferred subjects had been history and politics, because they told him much of the folly of humans, necessary tales of cautions, written by masters from Japan and China, as well as several translated volumes from Western thinkers. The more he read, the more he realized that humans were born on this earth to devour one another, and they left the world in ruins in the wake of their greed. He remembered that his grandfather had made it his life's work to heal the land of the hurts sustained during the Battle of Sekigahara, fought in the year 1600, but the shocks made onto Nature took even longer to recover. Seedlings became weak as the result of hastening the harvests to feed the many soldiers needed on both sides, the human blood that stained the soil during and after the battle… Sekigahara had been such a small area in Japan, yet… the effects sustained by that small plot of land that barely held any life reverberated all through the nation, and the humans were still blind to their folly…

Even now as he and his family were moving towards a new age of stability, he had heard news of a new shadow that would soon pour over their nation. The presence of foreign ships had been a sight of normal occurrence in Kagoshima and in Hagi, but those ships were trading ships, bringing goods into the Japanese black-market, because Japan's doors were still closed to foreigners. Things were different in Edo, however. The foreign ships that were spotted at the eastern coasts of the country were ships of military nature. Strange flags, those belonging to faraway countries from the West each marked the ship's masters, for whatever reason they were there. He knew that he would have to act quickly, and that merely finding an excellent wife and siring strong heirs would not be enough to defend his family, and perhaps, even his people in the longer run.

"What should I do, Otou-sama?" he asked the lone rose-plant he had tended to in gardens of the Kazama manor, just a few moments after he had finished packing. The rose was not a plant native of Japan. It had been given to his mother by a travelling Chinese Oni trader, who had been a guest at the manor due to his breeding, as a token of thanks for their hospitality. His mother had loved it so much that she had it planted right away, and when she had passed in childbirth, his father had taken care of it in her memory. He had always associated that rose as his father's love for his mother, and revered it as if it was his father. "Can you see the storm-clouds gathering over our heads wherever you are now?"

Of course, the rose did not reply. Its red petals merely stared blankly at him. The result would be the same if he asked his father's tombstone instead.

"Please tell me that your silence means that I should find my own way, and that you want to rest in the netherworld with Oka-sama…" he scowled sarcastically. To his surprise, a gust of wind blew around him, making the plant's stems sway back and forth, making it look as if the rose was nodding its little head in answer. "Hmph, suit yourself," he replied himself, and went on his way.

If he tarried any longer, his grandmother would not forgive him at all.

* * *

HAN: If you read my Hakuouki fics, particularly The Quest, you'll realize that the Kazama Manor is still the one on Kagoshima's beachfront, and not the one on Sakurajima. I would expect that moving and uprooting a large village like the Kazama village would be a logistical nightmare and would take some time to complete, heh heh! I actually wanted to use Kazama's given name in this fanfic, but for some reason... the thought did not stick at all. Oh, and by the way, is there actually ANY real reference as to where the Yukimura lands are exactly?

Elonore: I thank you for being around to read this one as well! Heh heh heh, I think that there would be slightly more Kazama/Chizuru moments in this one, although they would be less of a lovey-dovey nature, and more of the kind we see in Sekkaroku. ^_^ I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!

OnikuShita: Poor, poor Chikage has been quite neglected by the community, so I decided to give him a little justice! I hope he had more material to play with from the anime and the games, though.

Rei Eiein: Well, there must always be a root for his personality ^_^ He's definitely a bastard for a reason!


	3. The Assembly

The three-day journey on the ship from Kagoshima to Edo was… bearable. Thankfully, no one disturbed Kazama throughout the voyage, and he was able to collect his thoughts. The rumors he had heard were true, and there had been an increased foreign naval presence upon Japanese waters. Amagiri's informants at Nagasaki had claimed that they were there so that they could be repaired, and so their sailors could find respite upon land before heading towards China and Russia. Those claims were then proved to be false with the fact that new factories have emerged in Nagasaki, opened by those foreigners, manufacturing new Western firearms. He was sure that there would be some amount of chaos if the Westerners who landed on Kyushu went unchecked by the Bakufu. The Japanese did not take such blatant show of strength lightly, and would most likely see it as a challenge to their authority in their own lands.

"What are you thinking about, Chikage?" Hana asked her grandson as soon as they disembarked the ship that brought them to Edo.

"The folly of humans, Obaa-sama," Kazama replied. There was an air of unrest, thick among the humans. It had spread from the port-cities of Kyushu to the heart of the Bakufu in Edo, and he knew that with no uncertainty that it had everything to do with foreign naval ships. He did not know much about Western politics, but he knew much of his own country's to predict that nothing good would come from this exchange.

Hana chuckled. "You seem to do little else these days, my boy," she said. It could not be helped that her grandson thought lowly of the humans, who had forced their kind into hiding due to fear and greed. There had been a time when humans and Oni lived together in peace, but the humans, knowing that the Oni were nigh-Immortal, and damned near impossible to kill, feared them and started to conspire to drive them into non-existence. No self-respecting and self-loving Oni would ever seek to tie themselves to the humans now, although temporary alliances could not be avoided. Yet, Hana knew that with the sudden boldness of the pink-skinned humans that she had seen, coming into Japanese waters in big, black ships, she knew that a new reckoning would come to their country, and not even the Oni could escape it.

"Let us be free of such unproductive thoughts," the head of the Amagiri clan, Kazutarou said. "Your focus should be managing the terms of the alliance your clan with that of the Yukimura." Political marriages were political marriages, whether the bride and groom were Oni or not. The terms of betrothal would be carried out from the moment the agreement was settled. The Yukimura clan was as powerful in the East as the Kazama was in the West, and a union of both clans would mean a great exchange of either trade, service or martial matters.

Kazama rolled his eyes. Amagiri's oldest brother was highly critical of him, despite them being equals. Perhaps critical was not the keyword of his non-confidence in him, but it should be noted that being vassals of his clan, the fates of Amagiri were tied to that of his. "The terms have already been drafted," he said. "They will be revealed during the ceremony." They were in the territories of the Yukimura clan, with eyes and ears in every corner possible. If the other party heard the terms of the arrangement, they could alter theirs to make it more profitable for themselves.

Hana chuckled. "What I fear is that you will relent to what the Yukimura clan wants the moment you see your future bride," she teased her grandson, who scowled in response. It was true that young Chizuru was only a child, but news of her beauty had already spread far and wide. That could not be helped, since her mother was also a great beauty, a descendant of the Suzumori clan, another clan that was on the Oni Council. "Five year-old girls have their charm, you know."

"Perhaps we should turn back and wait ten more years then," Kazama said, not bothering about propriety when rebuking his grandmother. "I have no interest in taking a child-bride."

"Suit yourself," Hana returned. "However, if the Yukimura clan comes knocking at our door, demanding a groom for their daughter, you shall be the one to answer the call." She knew that Kazama was aware that there was only one Oni girl that had pure blood in this generation, and she knew that Kazama would welcome the girl as his bride for that sole reason alone. He would marry the girl even if he would not come to love her, because it was what his clan needed. Her grandson did not agree to a match with young Sen-hime of the Yase clan, because he did not relish being tied to the whims of the ruling clan of their people directly, and thus, little Yukimura Chizuru had been his only choice for a wife.

Amagiri cleared his throat before Kazama could say anything. "It is getting late, we should continue moving if we are to reach the Yukimura village in time," he suggested respectfully, his head bowed towards Hana. After spending so many years by Kazama's side, Amagiri learned that the most effective stratagem of stopping Kazama's explosive anger from building up and imploding would be to divert his attentions. The years may have mellowed Kazama somewhat, but there was no harm in using his old stratagem. Besides, it would be wise not to delay their travel, to ensure that their hosts would not be kept waiting.

"You still have much to learn from Kyuuju, my grandson," Hana reminded Kazama when he prepared their horse. "Patience being one of them."

"I try, Obaa-sama," Kazama replied, feeling his blood cool as the moments passed. It would be a long journey to the Yukimura village indeed.

* * *

It was a three-day journey upon horseback from Edo Bay to the Yukimura homelands. They were the masters of the Oni in the Tohoku regions, the reach of their influence in the north-eastern territories were was great as that of the Kazama in the south-west. While the lands of the Tohoku were considered to be the granary of Japan, the fruits of its forests held many secrets, and the Yukimura clan knew every one of them, becoming renowned hzpb0hjealers and doctors.

The head of the clan, Yukimura Chizo, was one such individual. He was an Oni-leader who preferred diplomacy and friendship over martial action. The humans in the surrounding areas did not fear nor hate the Oni, but were all grateful for the services that Yukimura and his family provided to them. Kazama often scoffed at his idealist leanings, but there was no doubt that he respected Yukimura, for being able to stand by his beliefs despite the clearly evident truth that humans were ingrates and would turn on him whenever it suited them.

"I hear water," Hana exclaimed with a wide smile. They soon came a meadow in the mountains, wide as the eye could see, where the grass was as green as the emerald leaves in the forests that they had passed, adorned with flowers of every hue imaginable. The meadow was cut into sections by a series of interconnecting streams that came from a nearby mountain, and the legends were true, its waters were so clean and pristine that one could imagine that the water was glittering as it ran downstream.

The Yukimura village was built right in the center of the great meadow. Its buildings were without fences or walls, and was open to all who would come. An Oni like Kazama could have fretted at the lack of defenses about the village, but it was of no concern to its rulers. Children frolicked and played freely while their parents watched on, while there were rows and rows of medicinal plants growing as abundantly as the agricultural crops of the Kazama village, tended to by carefully trained hands.

At the very center of the village was the Yukimura manor. Its permanently-open doors were painted a deep sapphire hue, and just a few feet away from it, were Yukimura Chizo and his retinue, dressed in the clan's colors of white and green. Of medium height and build, Yukimura had kind, brown eyes and hair cut so short that they seemed to stand on end, in a strange hue that seemed olive-green under the sunlight. At his side was his wife, Natsuko (née Suzumori), a former bodyguard and advisor to the current Yase-hime, having retired from such duties once she was wedded to Yukimura. Like the beauty of the Yukimura village, the tales of her beauty were all true. Blessed with snow-white skin and luscious chestnut hair worn in a braid adorned with flowers, her piercing eyes were emerald in color.

"The Yukimura clan welcomes our guests, the Kazama and Amagiri clans of the Satsuma-han," Yukimura greeted his guests with a low, formal bow. "My wife and I welcome you to stay as long as you wish."

"You honor us," Kazama replied, and performed the necessary greetings in reciprocation. He noted the manner in which Yukimura had held his wife's hand and continued, "Matrimony suits you, Yukimura. You seem to be aglow with it." He had not seen Yukimura ever since he had returned to his lands to marry Natsuko, and was willing to risk a little mischief in his reunion with his old friend.

Yukimura let out a hearty laugh following Kazama's jest. "Is this how you speak to your future father-in-law, young Chikage?" Yukimura asked. "Clearly, Hana-baa has not been able to fully rein you in yet."

"That would be an understatement," Amagiri Kazutarou interjected with a light bow. "Chizo, I thank you for your hospitality in these coming days."

"Do not mention it, Kazutarou," Yukimura replied. He then gestured towards his wife, and introduced her to all of his guests. "This is my lovely wife, Natsuko, from the Suzumori clan. Her great-grandaunt was Suzumori Yukina, who fought in the Battle of Sekigahara with my ancestor, Kazuya." After three generations, the Yukimura and Suzumori clans were tied once again in matrimony, and such greatness in their blood would certain show in Yukimura and Suzumori's children.

"It is an honor to have all of you as our guests," Natsuko said, performing the greeting-bow. Through her emerald eyes, glowing wild and free, Kazama could sense that Natsuko had not been a woman of peace as her husband was, because the very fact of the matter was that the Suzumori clan was just as militant as his own. How Yukimura had managed to capture such a free spirit, he would never know, but somehow, deep inside him, there was a sense of relief, because if anything happened, he knew that Natsuko would rise to the occasion in the defense of the Yukimura village. This much was inherent within her.

After the pleasantries were exchanged, the guests were brought into the main hall of the Yukimura manor, where the current Yase-hime was waiting for them. Senya was her name, a petite woman who exuberated power nonetheless. She would be the officiator of the betrothal ceremony that would commence the next day.

"It is a joyous occasion to see so many clans gathered in one setting," Senya said. Of the ten clans in the Oni Council, four were gathered there. There was nothing more unifying, more encompassing than a wedding, or rather the promise of one to come. "Chizo, Kazutarou, Chikage, I have not seen all of you together in many months… and Hana-baa, it is good to see you again." The four addressed bowed in reply, and after that, the last of the day's formalities were completed.

The clan elders of the Yukimura, Kazama, and Amagiri were then ushered into another room to talk amongst themselves, leaving the younger generation some privacy to discuss their own affairs. The very moment the elders left, sake was served. The first thing Kazama did was to turn towards Yukimura. "Yukimura, answer me honestly, did you want to go through this arrangement?"

"Why would I not?" Yukimura asked him in return, draining his cup of sake, raising an eyebrow as he looked back towards Kazama. "Even if you're not one of the richest families amongst us, you are one of the best swordsmen in the Oni Council. If you marry my daughter, her future would be secured, and I would have less of a worry in my lifetime."

Kazama rolled his eyes. "Yukimura. You always finish your sake in one go when you are lying. Out with it." Once his father had passed on, Yukimura was sent to Kagoshima to help him get through that difficult period of mourning, and ever since then, they had been close friends, and he knew everything there was to know about him.

"Most likely, you were forced to this alliance by someone else," Amagiri said. "Natsuko-san, tell us the truth."

Natsuko sighed. "It was Chizo's uncle," she answered. "He said that with the influx of the presence of the Westerners in our waters, the Bakufu would be plunged into instability. He wanted our clans to be united, to ensure that at least the Oni of the East and West would be safe."

It was obvious that Yukimura did not enjoy such talk. "Even if the humans wanted to do anything untoward to each other, they would not harm us. We have nothing to do with them at all," he reasoned.

"When war rises, the humans need medicine the most," Amagiri Kazutarou said. "They are using you, Chizo." No one ever questioned Yukimura's rule, only that he was too soft-hearted towards the humans. Then again, he was a doctor, and doctors were all compassionate souls, riddled with the fact he and his family had become pacifists over the ages…

Yukimura showed signs of not wanting to continue the discussion any further, and thus the subject was changed. "What about a bride for your son then?" Senya asked.

This time, Yukimura let out a full, roaring laugh. "That boy is destined to be a warrior, by the looks of him. I have full confidence that women would come to him in droves when he is a man grown." He seemed to be very proud of his children, even if they were only five. Noting the confused expression on Kazama's face, he slapped him on the back. "Ah, but you won't understand this until you are a father, right, Senya-dono?"

Senya chuckled. Senya had a daughter herself. The father was not an Oni from a powerful clan, but Senya had married for love. "Right indeed, Chizo," she replied. They were lucky, the Oni leaders of their generation. All of them had grown in a close circle, although they were of various ages, and were able to talk freely in private.

"Your daughter is only five," Kazama retorted, scowling towards Yukimura. "You expect grandchildren out of her at this age?"

"You misunderstand my husband, Kazama-san," Natsuko answered. "If you marry our daughter, you won't face the ages of the world alone, and, she would have a good husband. That is a well-thought plan after all." It was said that apart from being beautiful, Natsuko was also somewhat of a clairvoyant, able to see many years into the future. There was no doubt that she would have already seen into her daughter's future.

"Who knows, you would fall for her the moment you see her?" Yukimura added.

"Yukimura…"

"I was just kidding, Chikage."

* * *

HAN: I had a lot of fun making the Oni clan leaders interact with one another. Seriously. This should be a national sport. If you guys are confused, I used only "Amagiri" when referring to Amagiri Kyuuju, and Amagiri Kazutarou for his older brother. I believe that I didn't give the older brother a name in The Quest, woops. In case you want to know, here are the names of the Oni leaders in kanji. I can read Kanji because it's the same as traditional Chinese writing. However, I was educated in simplified Chinese... so yeah. There are also some references to Toki no Kizuna, which is the prequel to the Hakuouki series. One of them would be Suzumori Yukina's marriage to Yukimura Kazuya. In the game, the men you can choose to follow are Oni clan-leaders at the end of the Sengoku Era, so it would seem for this fic's sake that Yukina, the leading female of the game, went along with Kazuya's route, becoming Chizuru's ancestor. I've not played it, but there are various websites that would show you the plotlines of the game, which enabled me to stay within the fandom's canon as closely as possible.

Kazama Chikage: 風間千景

Amagiri Kyuuju: 天霧九壽

Amagiri Kazutarou: 天霧千太郎

Yase Senya: 八瀨千夜

Yukimura Chizo: 雪村千藏

Yukimura Kazuya: 雪村千耶

Suzumori Yukina: 涼森雪奈

Suzumori Natsuko: 涼森夏子

OnikuShita: From what I have gained from whatever lore on Hakuouki, is that Oni were species who are almost immortal, but Oni who have human blood would naturally live shorter lives. Since dear Kazama is a pure-blooded Oni, it would make sense that he would live longer than most humans. I put the number as around two to three centuries in the Quest, but it is most definitely not the rule. I saw the trailer for the second movie, and the very moment I saw Kazama riding a horse with Chizuru my heart melted! WOOHOO~

Olivia: Thanks for liking this one as well!

Elonore: Simply put, Kazama is a freakin' bastard. However, I feel that he is only so to those he deems "unworthy" of any respect. He loves his sweet little grandma to death, and will not dare do anything to Sen-hime, even if she interrupted him trying to woo Chizuru in Sekkaroku, no? The Oni clans are very interesting indeed. I can't wait to get my hands on it, though!

Megingjoro/ArYa: Naaaw, I have not given up on it at all! I personally was very intrigued by this pairing because I quite love to ship leading ladies with villains. I've already watched the first movie, and OMG, the anime pales in comparison to it. It's just more brutally violent, and focuses much more on the characters despite being only 1 1/2 hours long. In short, it was very well done!

Moons-chan: Thank you! I chose "The Journey" this time around, because it implies Kazama's journey towards Chizuru, right to the moment of the prologue in The Quest. ^_^

www.L.O.V. : Ah thanks! I hope you'll stick around in the future as well! (Oh I looked at your profile and found out that you're Singaporean. How are you ah? HEH HEH HEH - Am Malaysian, so... yeah. Can't help but flaunting our similar accents ^_^)


	4. The Betrothal

Dawn came, and as the first light of the sun touched the roof of the Yukimura manor, everyone was assembled at the main hall. At the head of the hall, seated upon two chairs, were Senya, the current Yase-hime and Kazama Hana, the matriarch of the Kazama clan, a natural arrangement, because Senya was their ruler, and Hana was literally the oldest being in the hall, and also Kazama Chikage's grandmother, making her a very well-respected person in the Oni community.

"Today we are here to negotiate the terms of betrothal between Kazama Chikage, leader of the Kazama clan, and Yukimura Chizuru, heiress to the Yukimura clan," Amagiri Kazutarou announced after Senya nodded to him to start the ceremony. At his words, the members of both clans present at the main hall bowed to one another. Kazama was seated at the very front of his retinue, dressed in a burgundy yukata, and a black haori with a golden obi. Beside him was the katana, Doujigiri Yasutsuna, the heirloom of the Kazama clan, used to slay the marauding Oni, the Shuten-Doji centuries ago.

Seated opposite him, was Yukimura Chizo, flanked by his older son, Kaoru. Both of them were dressed in hues of dark emerald, and by Chizo's side was the Daitsuuren, the heirloom of the Yukimura clan, while Kaoru held the Shotsuuren, the wakizashi that came with the Daitsuuren, forming a pair. It was a subtle hint to the other clans that were present that Yukimura was already starting to train his son in the leadership of their clan.

Soon, the ringing of the bell summoned the little bride-to-be in. Young Chizuru came into the hall, holding Natsuko's hand. She had a yellow flower tucked into her ear, and was wearing a yukata that matched that of her mother's, one that was green like meadow they lived in. Her large, doe-like eyes were the color of honey, like that of her father, while her fair skin and chestnut hair mirrored her mother. At this tender age, she was undoubtedly an adorable child, but she held the promise of time. There was no doubt that she would one day be a great beauty, equal to that of her mother. Mother and daughter bowed to all that were in the main hall, and when they joined Chizo and Kaoru, they bowed towards the guests of their house, and more importantly, towards Kazama, who would one day be Chizuru's husband.

Thence started one of the most solemn of Oni ceremonies, for it involved not only the promise of two souls to be joined in matrimony, but also two clans. To the outsider, it would seem as if the Kazama clan was buying a daughter-in-law and the Yukimura clan making sure that they fetched the highest bride-price possible.

"My clan will give yours the expertise of our militia so as to train yours in the defense of the village," Kazama said, making the first offer. The clans of the Kyushu region were all famous for their skill in battle, and the warriors of the Kazama clan were held in the highest regard. He studied Yukimura's expression, and knew that the proposition did not sit well on his friend's mind. However, it was Yukimura's uncle that sighed in relief with the offer. It was for that very reason he even suggested the union in the first place.

Although he showed no hint of agreeing or rejecting Kazama's first offer, Yukimura said, "Then mine will provide training to your healers in all we know." He had blatantly skirted the issue of the exchange of military training for his clansmen, and he knew that every single eye in the hall were trained upon him, getting ready for his explanation. "I do not wish for a strong martial presence for my people."

"Chizo, we would have no way of defending ourselves if we do not accept Kazama-san's offer," Yukimura's uncle admonished him. "Do you wish us all to be burnt by the humans one day?" A great silence washed over the hall at the inauspicious words uttered, and even Chizuru and Kaoru, both children, blinked their wide eyes with unease.

"Very well then, I shall modify the offer," Kazama said. "In exchange for the training from your healers, I shall send my best illusionists to advise you on how best to hide your lands in any event of the humans' hostility." Even more famous than the warriors of the Kazama clan, were their illusionists. It was said that those who had never once entered the Kazama village could never find it, even if it was smack in the middle of the beach at Kagoshima bay, and the edge of the city.

That offer made Yukimura smile. "Done," he said, and put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "It looks as if Chikage is very happy to have you, little one."

Chizuru had no inkling that her father was only using her to tease Kazama, but at that moment, she was silent, looking into Kazama's hard, ruby eyes, as if trying to find the truth to her father's words for herself. Looking into those large, brown eyes, Kazama immediately found no ability to even scowl at her father. He only made a half-smile and offered a similar jest.

"You will be forever remembered as the father who willingly sold his daughter for a meagre price, Yukimura," Kazama replied slyly. "What would your daughter think of you when she finds the terms you agreed on?"

"She would thank me, no doubt," Yukimura returned. "Chizuru-chan, Otou-sama is trying his best to make sure that your future husband takes care of you and our family in the future, do you understand?"

It was evident that Chizuru could not comprehend one word that her father had said. "Hai…" she said softly, with an over-enthusiastic nod of her head. She then whispered into her father's ear, "Otou-sama… Chikage Onii-sama looks very scary…"

It turned out that her whisper seemed to be a little louder than she had expected, and Kazama could hear what she said, and grimaced the slightest bit. Both Hana and Senya tried to maintain their dignified composures, while Yukimura gave little care and laughed heartily at his daughter's observation, breaking the solemnness of the supposed ceremony. Knowing that Kazama's ruby eyes were upon her, Chizuru bent her head down, not daring to look at him again.

"Come now, Chikage, the words of children mean no evil," Yukimura comforted Kazama, petting his daughter's head. Knowing that he was right, Kazama decided to let little Chizuru's transgression slip and continue with the ceremony. "Now, let me see… what can we do for the wedding gifts?"

A cousin from a branch-family came up and reported that they had prepared 20 large vats of medicinal sake, five stalks of ginseng-roots that were a thousand years old, five trays of the rarest medicinal herbs known in Japan, along with 50 bolts of silk ever since Chizuru was born. Those would come to Kazama clan with their bride when Chizuru was of marriageable age. One by one, the goods mentioned by Yukimura's cousin were presented to all those who were present, bringing much awe to those who seen them, for those gifts could not have come easily

According to Oni traditions, Kazama's bride-price must match the value of the gifts that Chizuru brought with her. All exchanges must be of equal or higher value, and there was no mistake that the Kazama clan was easily able to match the extravagant gifts promised by the Yukimura. "Then I offer 5000 _ryou_ in exchange," he said, and silence covered the entire hall. One _ryou_ in gold was equivalent to one _koku_ in rice, which was the amount needed to feed a person in a full year. The value he had offered was more than enough to cover the value of the wedding gifts, which once again cemented the fact that both the Kazama and Yukimura clans were among the most powerful and able Oni clans in all of Japan.

After the monetary aspects of the negotiations had ended, came the dates of the actual wedding, and other things like the invitations, the seating arrangements, the guest lists… Every single item had to be properly accounted for, which made the ceremony a laboriously long process, even if the actual wedding was to be held ten years into the future. The only saving grace to the ceremony, was the presence of the Yukimura twins, who, as young as they were, trying their very best to stay awake. Kaoru was using the Shotsuuren to support himself to avoid falling over if he really dozed off, while Chizuru endeavored every second to keep her back straight and her head upright.

"It must be hard on the children to sit at one place for too long," Amagiri noted, taking pity on the twins, who seemed so small in the circle of adults around them. They did not even know what awaited them after the ceremony had been completed, what more of their fates ten years into the future?

Not saying a word, Kazama focused some amount of energy into his hands, allowing what seemed like clouds to form in his palms. His eyes glowed amber, as all Oni would when they were using their in-born powers, and when they returned to their normal ruby color, two butterflies appeared, one blue, and the other, pink. The blue one flew towards Kaoru, and the pink one circled Chizuru, making the children giggle, and forget the tedium of the ceremony.

Such an act revealed two things about Kazama Chikage, although no one endeavored to interrupt him and the twins. The first was the very fact that he was able to conjure illusions that were so interactive and corporal at such a young age, which implied that he would only grow even more powerful in the years to come. Such was the nature of a son of pure-blooded Oni lineage. The other, told much more about his character. To the outside world, young Kazama was an arrogant, severe individual who cared little about others. The very fact that he was keen enough to notice that the twins were bored and tired, and to seek a way to entertain them, was enough to cement the fact that he would be more than an adequate son-in-law to the Yukimura clan.

"I'm beginning to think that you're right, my love," Yukimura whispered into his wife's ear after the butterflies that Kazama had conjured disappeared. "Chikage is going to be a very fine husband for Chizuru."

Natsuko tried hard to stifle a giggle. "You would have to make sure that your daughter falls for him for sure then," she warned her husband. Oni marriages were unions of love, and unions that were formed on equal bonds. If in the future, either Chizuru or Kazama have given their hearts to other individuals, their betrothal would naturally be voided upon the consent of both parties. However, that was not to say that all Oni betrothals did not work out the way they were planned. The Oni believed that if two people had enough serendipity to live joined fates, they would find a way to one another, no matter the circumstances between them.

* * *

When the third hour passed, the ceremony had finally ended. The betrothal was a success, where both the Yukimura and Kazama clans were able to reach an agreement of equal terms on the conditions of the union. All that was to be done hence, would be to wait for Chizuru to come of age, and to make sure that both Chizuru and Kazama really chose one another as lifelong mates in the future. Both clans bowed to one another, and a large outdoor feast was prepared in the courtyard of the manor. Kazama and Chizuru were made to walk out of the main hall hand in hand, and he could not help but notice how small her hand was in his. When they were out in the sunshine, Chizuru beckoned towards Kazama. "Chikage Onii-sama… could you please make another butterfly for me?" she asked him. It was such a simple request, and he knew that he would be unable to say no to such a request, much less from his future wife.

"Just this once, little one," he answered, and conjured the same pink butterfly he had sent after her. Squealing in joy, she chased the butterfly, and was soon joined by Kaoru, who once again had the blue butterfly Kazama conjured for him once he had gotten into the courtyard with his parents.

"I had never expect you to be this good with children, Chikage," Yukimura observed with a highly teasing tone, nudging Kazama with his elbow. "My daughter would have you eating out of her hands, mark my words."

Kazama harrumphed at Yukimura's jest. "We shall have to see," he said. "Perhaps it would be the other way around?"

"Alright, since you're up for a challenge, if you even try to entertain my children again before sundown, you'll willingly part with five _ryou_ to fund your future father-in-law's retirement fund," Yukimura suggested, knowing that it was impossible for Kazama to back down from a challenge.

"I'm not agreeing to such a childish venture," Kazama scowled.

"I don't think you have a choice in this, Kazama," Amagiri added, noting that both Chizuru and Kaoru had returned from their frolicking around the courtyard. "Here come the children."

"You will pay for this, Yukimura…" Kazama warned, almost baring his teeth. It was an evident Kazama clan trait that a son or daughter of the clan would take every opportunity to make humor at the expense of others, but they were could rarely take humor made in the expense of theirs as well. Yukimura was clearly exploiting that well-known trait to his full advantage, which made Kazama doubly… uneasy and annoyed.

"Now, now, Chikage, you were the one who agreed to this arrangement in the first place," Yukimura replied, trying hard not to laugh. He was having too much fun, knowing that Kazama would be wholly unable to resist his daughter's adorable antics. "You could have suggested a lower bride-price, after all."

Kazama did not say anything following what Yukimura had said. It was evident that there was much more to his betrothal to lovely little Chizuru that Yukimura was seeking, more than a martial and trade alliance that he was not telling him, hiding his true intentions between comical jests and bets. He would know the true nature of his intentions after the feast if need be.

* * *

HAN: Ah, so Kazama is unable to resist Chizuru from the moment they meet! MUAHAHAHAH! Of course, we all know that he's a real softie inside, so just let it slip, ok? As for the values of the wedding-gifts and the bride-price, I have no clue if they're actually worth that number in the year 1854, which corresponds to the 7th Year of Kaei, which was the same year the Yukimura clan was destroyed. However, according to Wikipedia (I know that it's a poor source of reference for you more... scholarly readers, but I just took the values it provided to get a rough estimate of the currency figures used just for the sake of the plot), one _ryou_ is about... JPY 120000 in today's values, translating to about USD 1164.70. For the sake of it, Chizuru's bride-price is equivalent to USD 5,823,500, which is not shocking at all, because the value of one thousand year-old ginseng in today's markets is about USD 250000. Don't forget, her father is providing about 5 of them, one each for each Kazama elder, not accounting for the rest of the wedding-gifts. Also, another disclaimer: I have not mentioned that the customs above were Japanese customs in any way. They only apply to the Oni in the context of this fanfic, so do not come up to me and tell me that I've been culturally inaccurate.

Onikushita: She is only five, after all! Very, very adorable too, if the flashbacks from the anime and Hakuouki: Kyoto Ranbu are to be believed. I'm sure that Kazama agrees with me. ^_^

Tennu: Hello dear neighbor across the Causeway! I hope you liked their meeting in this chapter!

wishica: Hello there! Apa khabar/你好吗？heh heh heh. It _does_ make one happy, no? It's like finding family in a vast sea of people! I'm based in Subang Jaya, Selangor, how about you? (Dear international readers, do pardon my Malaysian English in my reply to this review henceforth) Aiyo, thank you for liking ya, or more importantly, thank you for finishing the Quest in two days weh! Really appreciate it. ^_^ To be honest, I really love Hijikata, but as time passed, my liking for Harada, Saito and Souji increased, but now, Kazama comes a close second to Hijikata. heh heh heh.

Guest: I'll try to make daily updates, but it'll be kinda hard because Uni has already started for me. Darned plot bunnies dancing around my head. GRRR.

CapitalEnvy: Oh, thank you! I'll try to up the cute factor as much as I can!


	5. The Foreshadowing

When the feast had ended, and the guests had returned to their quarters to rest and get away from the heat of summer, Kazama found perfect time to corner Yukimura and ask him about things that he would not usually reveal in the company of others.

If Yukimura was definitely sure that Kazama had valued the safety and wellness of those he was responsible for more than anything, then Kazama was more than willing to stake his life that Yukimura would always value the stability of his domain before making any drastic moves. He thought he could hide beneath that big, hearty laughter of his, but before long, those who knew him best would suspect his actions. He would have to be very, very desperate, if he would even agree to promise the future of his daughter to Kazama in the first place. Kazama began to think that Yukimura's move to betroth his daughter to him was more than a long-term plan, it was one that would begin with immediate effect, depending on the circumstances.

"I'm not cornering you and asking you what is going on because I doubt you, Yukimura," Kazama told his future father-in-law sternly, ruby eyes staring at the honey-colored eyes of the Oni-leader that was also his friend and mentor. "I want to help you, as best as I can."

Yukimura sighed. "The humans of the Tohoku region are getting uneasy," he answered, finally relenting, knowing that Kazama would not easily back down from anything once he had made his mind to pursue it. "They have asked for protection should war strike… and I have reason not to believe them for once." Yukimura was a pacifist, but he was not a fool. He advocated peace, because it was what he had believed in, but he was not so innocent to believe that the humans were truly their allies.

"War will strike, but not from Tohoku," Kazama told Yukimura. If there would be any uprising, it would start first from the lands that the Bakufu have little control of, from the lands in Kyushu. "Each day, there are more and more foreign ships, trading Western arms and other goods. There will be chaos in Japan before we know it."

"What are you going to do then?" Yukimura asked him. The illusionary defenses of the Kazama clan were famous throughout the Oni clans, and he knew that Kazama would most likely hide his family in the safest location he can think of. "Where would you hide your family?"

"Sakurajima," Kazama answered. "The rulers of Satsuma have granted my family the volcanic island of Sakurajima. I have already raised defenses there, but moving my village there piece by piece would take a large amount of time." A village as large as the Kazama village had more than just families and houses to uproot. They had to plan for the various plantations they ventured in, so as to remain self-sufficient to avoid human contact.

"But surely, the humans would not allow you to get away with this without giving anything in return," Yukimura reasoned. The humans were a wily bunch, and he knew enough about them to realize that they never traded in equal measure. "What do they want from you in return?"

Kazama chuckled, a sound that carried his usual, pompous tone, but one that hid some measure of bitterness. "My service, in return," he said. "The Shimazu clan, the rulers of the humans in Satsuma, would want my participation in any of their ventures."

Yukimura sighed. "And you called me a fool, Chikage," he said, running a hand through his head of short, olive hair. "What difference is bowing to the humans in their service, than being their slaves?" he asked Kazama. "But then again… what choice do we have?"

"Then let me furnish your village with warriors, especially in the coming weeks, if you don't want to shed a drop of blood," Kazama demanded Yukimura. The Oni race were not like the humans. They took care of each other's backs, and they meant every single word they uttered. Oni do not go behind their promises.

"Who would protect your village if you do so?" Yukimura asked him. No matter how great the warriors of the Kazama clan were, they could not outnumber any human force that dared to rise against them. Their wounds could heal immediately, but they were not truly invincible. They would all die if they were either pierced through the heart or beheaded… and with the influx of Western weapons, as Kazama had noticed, then the humans could do it with ten times the ease. Yet, no matter how enticing the offer, Yukimura understood that he could not burden the Kazama clan by asking their presence in the protection of his, so far away from their home. It would be utterly selfish of him, and it was a move that he could not find from within him to condone.

Kazama did not answer. There was truth in what Yukimura had said, and he knew that he could not argue further on that front. "The Council would not stand and watch you and yours be threatened by humans," he stressed.

"But I'm afraid that this threat does not only lie on my family, Chikage," Yukimura said forebodingly. "It lies on all the clans." It was no secret that no matter how much the Oni tried to hide from the humans, they would still sitting ducks. Pockets of life, thriving communities, even in the harshest of Japan's environments could be easily discovered by the humans, even if they were hidden or trapped. The Oni could not be wholly independent of them as well, because they needed them to trade their wares with. Not all the clans had lands wide enough, or even as fertile as that of the Kazama and the Yukimura.

At that time, it seemed that all of humankind conspired against the Oni, that they were going to be engulfed in a sea of genocide, but Kazama knew that it was not the case. Although the Oni Council had decreed that there was to be no contact between humans and Oni sometime before the end of the Sengoku Era, none of the clans seemed to have ever abided by the rule, mostly because of the will of fate. The Shimazu clan demanded the loyalty of his clan and that of the Amagiri in exchange for living out their lives peacefully in the Satsuma-han, while Yukimura was only asked for protection… The Yase clan was already foresworn to guard the Imperial family throughout the centuries, and the Shiranui to the rulers of the Oni in the Choushu-han. If the Oni were willing to let go of their pride, and enter the world of humans for whatever they wanted, then perhaps, they would be able to weather the storm.

"Wait… your family fought for Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Sekigahara," Kazama said. "But who were the ones who approached you for protection?" Things were not quite right. The Oni clans of Kyushu, which meant the clans governed by him, were the backers of the enemies of the Tokugawa Bakufu, those who resisted Tokugawa Ieyasu's clearly successful attempt in uniting Japan under one rule.

"They are rebels," Yukimura answered. "However, they are too little in number to be considered a great force, unlike those in Choushu, or Satsuma, for that matter. The Bakufu has no fear of them." The hold of the Bakufu was strongest in the territories nearest to Edo, and the lands of the Yukimura were engulfed within the Bakufu's circle of influence. If Yukimura's theory was right, then he would be going against his clan's old allegiances, and thus, going against the boundaries of their people…

Cornered by a new threat, and forced to oblige an old alliance, at last Kazama understood why Yukimura had so eagerly promised Chizuru to him. "Do you have so much confidence in me that you would put your daughter into my care?" he asked Yukimura. "What about your son?"

"If it comes to that, I will house my children with the Yase clan first," Yukimura replied, for Natsuko's family was the closest ally to the Yase clan, and no mortal would ever dare to touch them without a single fear for retribution. They would be safer with Senya and her daughter if anything untoward happened to him and his.

Somehow, the exchange brought some amount of relief to him, knowing that Yukimura would not be so foolish as to risk the lives of his heirs as well. It was not because he was worried for his future bride, or the fates of his close friend's family, his thoughts came from the survival of his race… his species. Any given Oni clan leader was not only responsible for their families, and the Council, but were also representatives of their regions as well. His concern for Yukimura Chizo and the rebels that extorted protection from his family, were all well-founded.

Yuikumura knew this fact well. "If only you would shed the air of an arrogant bastard, Chikage, you would actually be a decent fellow," he told his younger counterpart with a chuckle. "But then again, it is what makes you… well, you."

"Can you not talk to me as if you are walking towards death, Yukimura?" Kazama asked Yukimura, sensing that there was still more to what Yukimura was revealing to him. A cold chill passed up his spine, as if Yukimura had already expected that something would happen.

Yukimura only smiled, and told Kazama. "Baka, I was the one who taught you how to be a clan leader, never forget that… Don't worry, I'll know what to do when the time comes."

With those words, Yukimura sent Kazama on his way. He spent the rest of the day conferring with his advisors, his uncles and cousins that helped him to run his village. He would not see any of his guests until it was time to bid them farewell the following morning.

* * *

The following summer, the Kazama village was preparing for a grand visit from the Yukimura clan. Just that spring, Yukimura had written to Hana, telling her that Chizuru had wished to see the butterflies that Kazama had conjured for them. But at the same time, they had received news most terrible from Edo Bay.

"Black ships from America have landed at Edo," Amagiri reported to Kazama, who had been preparing to receive their guests in the courtyard, speaking of a faraway nation, many, many miles west from Japan, and yet, only a lesser amount of that distance due east. It was said that it was soon to be even greater than England, France and Holland combined, and with the might of its naval forces, perhaps there was some truth to the claim. "They have managed to threaten the Shogun into opening Japan's doors to trade."

"What did the Shogun promise?" Kazama asked Amagiri, holding his breath, because at the end of the day, whatever demands the Shogun had seceded to, would affect the Oni as a whole in the long run.

Amagiri sighed. "The Bakufu would open Nagasaki, Shimoda and Hakodate to American ships seeking provisions," he answered.

"When more countries come, the Bakufu would grant them the same they gave America," Kazama predicted. It would be the same as the Bakufu opening all avenues of international trade to all nations. "Progress would come, perhaps, at a great and frightening price…" Although what he was governing as on the smallest of scale in the grand design of things, he realized that

He was interrupted by the sound of frantic footsteps coming into the courtyard from the main hall. Within mere minutes, he saw a scout, paled from exhaustion, crusted in dirt and grime. "I come from Yase," the scout panted. "The… Yukimura clan has been destroyed!"

Kazama's eye widened at the news, but he did not know if it was in fear, in shock, or a combination of both. "What?" he exclaimed. He had sent three of his best illusionists there so that they could help Yukimura Chizo in defending his village. "How is that possible?"

"The rebel humans in the Tohoku region wanted to bring their plans into action, and they wanted Yukimura Chizo to aid them," the scout reported after a large drink of water. The journey from Yase to Kagoshima was long and hard, and the scout seemed like he was near death. "They were refused, and the humans burnt the entire village down!"

The scout said that for days, there was smoke all over the forests, and when the smog reached Yase, it was too late. The village had already been razed and burnt, and no one could identify the bodies of the dead. It was as if the Yukimura clan had never existed before… Centuries of providing the best medical care to those around them, centuries of guarding the Tohoku region… All gone.

"Are there any survivors?" Kazama asked the scout.

"None, save one," the scout answered. "His name is Koudou, he will settle in Edo as a practicing Western healer…"

None… save one. At once, Kazama's thoughts went to little Chizuru and Kaoru. They would no longer run free in their family's meadows again, sacrifices of their people to the wrath and cruelty of humans.

* * *

HAN: I know... the Yukimura clan just went away like a cloud of smoke. My justification for this would be that if Kazama had fought by Yukimura's side, Chizuru would have remembered it. As we could see from the anime and the movie, we can only see that she remembers running away from a great fire with Kaoru, and eventually ending up all alone. In his route, Kazama brought Chizuru back to her village in seeking the Shinsen-Gumi as they moved ever northwards since the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, and he asked her if she felt any hatred towards the humans who destroyed her family, and she replied that she felt only sadness. So it can be seen that Kazama himself was not there when the calamity happened. I also looked for Mandarin translations Hakuouki Zuisouroku, and realized that the Yukimura home was actually somewhere near Aizu, which is now in the Fukushima Prefecture.

wishica: OH HEY! I'm studying in Monash Sunway as well! We should TOTALLY meet up! I tried to PM you but you had the feature disabled, so meh~ Saito is adorable. I loved his route in Zuisouroku and Yuugiroku 1 and 2 the most. Actually... Harada's route is the most... spicy if you know what I mean. HEH HEH HEH. Aiya, my English so-so nia, nothing much to shout about.

OniKuShita: As I've said before, Kazama is just like Hijikata. He is a softie inside with a gooey center. You just need to learn how to prove such qualities exist by plucking the right heartstrings. The Yukimura clan are known as pacifists, practically from the chapter in Zuisouroku that I've shared with you guys just the Mandarin translations are to be trusted, none of the Yukimura clan defended themselves against the attacking humans, and Kazama guessed if it was either true pacifism or Oni pride that they would rather die than aid the rebels.


	6. The Submission

The years that followed the arrival of the Black Ships, headed by the American Commodore Matthew C. Perry was chaos for Japan. The financial system went into utter disarray, owing to the fact that foreign traders were quickly trading their silver in exchange for cheaper Japanese gold. During that time, five units of silver was traded for one unit of gold, whilst it was fifteen units of silver to one unit of gold anywhere else. Such shocks quickly devalued the Japanese currency, and inflation began skyrocketing into levels unseen before.

Treaties of unfair trade between the Western nations and Japan quickly sprouted left, right and center, and Japan was seen to be on the losing end of international trade. The Ansei Treaties not only gave foreigners freedom to trade, and even take residence in the ports of Nagasaki, Kobe, Yokohama, Niigata and Edo, they also gave the foreigners low import and export duties that were subject to international control. All of a sudden, Japan no longer had control over the products she had traded in. The lords of Kyushu, and their retainers grew impatient, and demanded to the Emperor that such treaties be stopped, and the foreigners driven out of Japan so as to maintain stability.

However, there was one use of the foreign presence in Japan. With the exchange of trade, no matter how unfair, came the exchange of skills. In order to engage in trade with the foreign devils, the Japanese were forced to learn languages like English, to deal with the British and the Americans, Russian, French and even Dutch, and were then able to learn their skills and their thoughts. Eager to build technological marvels like they could, the Japanese started to act like sponges, absorbing and learning whatever they could.

It was a time of chaos for Japan, because those who had the fortune to trade with the foreigners rose in economic greatness, while those who could not ride the sudden wave of change, was swallowed by it. Inflation caused poverty, riddled with famine, earthquakes and plagues of cholera, brought into Japan thanks to the foreigners. Such was their suffering that one would rather live as a dog than as a human.

For the Oni, it was a time of great fear. As the humans started to become more and more violent towards one another, they knew that the humans would demand their assistance sooner or later, and with what had happened to the Yukimura clan, no one would dare to refuse them.

In those dark years, Kazama Chikage started to endeavor the great migration of his people, piece by piece. He first set up the rudimentary defenses for the new village site, using pieces of volcanic rock from the volcano on Sakurajima that had protected his clan for centuries. He and his clansmen had discovered that if one would focus their internal energies, or Ki, on a medium-sized piece of said volcanic rock, it would form a web concealment that in area of about forty houses. It would be a more efficient way of using ofuda made from the ash of the volcano, as they had done since time immemorial.

The project would consume every waking moment that Kazama had, and he spent that time willingly, knowing that he would be closer and closer in providing a safe haven for his family. However, at the back of his head, he could not help but speculate if Yukimura Koudou, a descendant of the Yukimura branch family was truly the only survivor of the clan. No matter what, he had once promised Yukimura Chizo that he would protect his daughter. Knowing that he was unable to have done so, because he was an even larger fool to trust that fool that was Yukimura that there was no imminent danger… did not sit well with him. Had he failed on his promise?

He had no choice but to banish his thoughts for the moment. There were more cares that he had to tend to, things that called to his immediate attention. He was on Sakurajima, going through the plans of the new Kazama manor with Amagiri Kyuuju, and cousin Kohei, the painter and architect of the family, and decided that for posterity's sake, they would build one exactly like their current one in Kagoshima Bay. The manor had stood the chaos of the Sengoku Era, and also the falsified security and safety to the Edo era. He would have it stand for many more eras to come.

"The construction would take about five years," Kohei told Kazama. "And we'll have to go through it stage by stage, so in the very least we can inhabit the completed areas."

Kazama nodded. Five years was only a small amount of time in the span of the lifetimes of the Oni. However, they were pressed for time, and he would have liked to ensure that his people were moved into the safety and seclusion of Sakurajima as soon as possible. "Do whatever you can to make sure the timeline is followed," he told Kohei, and turned his attentions towards Amagiri. "What news of the emissary from the daimyo?"

"They wish to meet with you and my brother three days hence," Amagiri replied. Satsuma could be the only _han_ in which there are two Oni clans upon the Council. The daimyo that ruled Satsuma did not know such a detail, but the Shimazu clan has long been allies to the Kazama clan, and now that the Amagiri clan were also granted lands in Satsuma-han, they too, were bound by allegiance to the government of the Satsuma.

In the time of Kazama Chitose at the end of the Sengoku Era, the Daimyo of Satsuma had been a surrogate father to his ancestor. In his lifetime, Kazama preferred not to have close ties with the Shimazu clan apart from the barest of formalities. He attended funerals and weddings, and the odd celebration, but nothing more. He was lucky that his family had been permanent fixtures at Satsuma, and no one had ever come to question their existence, whether or not the humans know that they were Oni. Their existence had already been taken as a given there in Kagoshima, and hence, no one would ever suspect their intentions.

"Surely they would want us to join their cause," Kazama said to Amagiri. The scholars and samurai of Kyushu had begun to rise up in dissatisfaction of the Bakufu's current politics, and certainly, they would not have dared to challenge the Bakufu had the daimyo not encouraged it. "I wonder what positions will they give us?"

Amagiri exhaled deeply. "We'll centainly not be vanguards," he answered, noting Kazama's well-known, biting sarcasm that would ring with some amount of truth.

* * *

On the third day, both Kazama Chikage and Amagiri Kazutarou were welcomed at Kagoshima Castle at high noon. With the summer beating down on them, Kazama and Amagiri Kazutarou entered the dwelling of the Daimyo Shimazu Tadayoshi, who was only a young man, around twenty three years in age. However, influence and power remained in the hands of his father, Hisamitsu, who was named his regent. Hisamitsu was a man of great ambition, knowing that Japan could not survive without unity amongst its rulers. The Oni clans had heard rumors that Shimazu senior was part of a political faction that wished for mediation between the Shogun and the Emperor, but would not act on them until they had solid proof.

It must be noted that although the Satsuma-han was one of the most powerful domains in Japan, and their rulers, the Shimazu among the leading daimyo in terms of influence, Kagoshima Castle was bare, Spartan and too-small for its masters. Its defenses were bare, and its ramparts low, and was certainly not able to withstand an invasion of any sort. This was done to throw off the eyes of the Bakufu, to make all eyes trained upon Satsuma think that they were incapable of defending themselves, and hence, were a minor threat.

The defenses of Kagoshima Castle lied not in the thickness of its walls, or the heights of its towers. But in its people, and its weapons. The Shimazu clan had highly loyal fighters, and every one of its retainers would support and carry out the wills of their liege-lords to their deaths. As an added plus, they had the support of two prominent Oni clans… or they would have them no matter what, due to hereditary alliegiances that have to be carried out, due to Oni pride and tradition…

Thus, Kazama and Amagiri Kazutarou found themselves before the young Shimazu Tadayoshi, dressed in court-apparel in the colors of their clans, in the courtyard of Kagoshima Castle. "There were many tales of your people, and yet, had you not come to my uncle's funeral, I would not have known your existence," he said to the two Oni before him. "Is it true that you drink the blood of humans and eat their flesh?"

"Those were tales that our ancestors spread to your kind so that you would leave us alone, gozen-sama," Amagiri Kazutarou explained. "In reality, we eat and drink as all humans do."

Shimazu Tadayoshi nodded, and chuckled after pondering Amagiri Kazutarou's words. "Ah, indeed, that is a clever tactic," he replied. "I could not have thought of a better defense mechanism…" Kazama remained in silence, but continued to observe the man who now held the fates of the Western Oni in his hands. If he was an unfair man, Kazama knew that there would be a possibility in which he would have to start defending his people against such a lord, which was a large probability by his books. But if the Daimyo of the Satsuma-han would impress him, he would have to willingly submit and serve.

However, there was another Shimazu that they had to meet, and was the power behind the current Daimyo: Shimazu Hisamitsu. There was no doubt that this man was a brilliant administrator, to have united the various members of the Satsuma-han to call for a revolt against the Bakufu. "Let us be direct, Kazama, Amagiri, we need your aid in our efforts."

"And what efforts would they be?" Kazama asked Shimazu Hisamitsu, turning to look at the Daimyo's father in the eye. Ruby met dark brown, and he knew that the human was trying hard to keep his composure when faced with such a challenge. It was not because he dared not to utter words that implied rebellion and revolution, but because how Kazama himself had appeared. There was something about his ruby eyes that made him look… sinister, and the very fact that his pupils were not wholly round, but had some sort of edge… Having those eyes gazing at oneself, as if he were prey to be consumed, would be a harrowing experience to anyone. "Do you plan to secede to the Sonno-joi movement propagated by Choshu, or do you plan to aid the Bakufu in quelling the rebels?"

With the nation split in two, Kazama knew that there was a possibility that the rulers of the Satsuma-han, one of the most powerful domains in Japan, would play both sides. Due to the fact that Satsuma had always been too far to be controlled by Bakufu, and the Daimyo of Satsuma were allowed to make the supposed pilgrimage to Edo every two years, where they would have to remain there for most parts of a year. This enabled the Shimazu clan to gain their vast wealth, bolstered by illegal trade with foreigners, and that vast wealth has enabled them to purchase foreign weapons, cannons, guns, and mortars, which, riddled with the great loyalty of their vassals, contributed to the frightening strength of their clan and their lands.

"What do you suggest?" Shimazu Hisamitsu asked Kazama in return. "I would need the advice of the Oni leaders of these lands as well, in order to help my son reach a viable conclusion."

"Do what you do best, then," Kazama suggested, after looking towards Amagiri Kazutarou for askance to speak his mind. Humans were the absolute experts in betraying your own kind, and although the Shimazu line of Daimyo had been benevolent to their people, and their plentiful land, they were among the most two-faced family that Kazama had ever known. With their right hand, they submit to the Bakufu, and with their left, they would hold the knife that would be twisted into the backs of their masters. "You never truly saw the Tokugawa Bakufu as true masters of the Satsuma-han. You seek to rule yourself."

Shimazu Hisamitsu broke into a crooked, wily smile. "You Oni claim that you do not care about the temporal affairs of humans, yet you know our politics like the back of your hand," he said to Kazama. "Amagiri, what is your view on this?"

"My family and I shall serve just to repay the land-debt we owe to you," Amagiri Kazutarou answered. "We shall follow every directive given to us. You need only direct us." It could not be said that the leaders of the Amagiri clan were blind followers of their liege-lords, humans or Oni, but they did not see a point in involving themselves into the meddlesome details of contexts, histories and implications. They would see the job done, and done well, and that was enough for them.

Kazama, on the other hand, was a different beast altogether. His concerns were the safety of his family and his people. Every step he took, was for the welfare of the Western Oni, his choices geared towards that end at all times. He would have the Oni removed from the world of humans, even if he had to personally bind them in ropes and drag them towards appropriate homes for them. That resolve had only increased with the extinction of the Yukimura clan. He could not take such a risk, and nor would the Oni Council survive such a shock.

"How many fighters do you need?" Amagiri Kazutarou asked Shimazu Hisamitsu, not wanting to waste any more time. War was beckoning at their very home, and it made sense for the Satsuma-han to bring the Oni into their military arms, for they were invincible, unless stabbed through their hearts or if they were decapitated. The Kazama and Amagiri clans were not short of fighters, and he was sure that Kazama would be willing to part with a few warriors from his lands.

"One from each clan," Shimazu Hisamitsu replied. "We require the greatest warriors from your ranks, and only one is needed. Your duties would be to protect our agents as they move about in Kyoto in the coming months."

"Then there'll be no need to tarry," Kazama said. "I am the best warrior in my clan," he said, immediately volunteering himself. "At the age of ten I killed my own uncle to avenge the death of my father." Shimazu Hisamitsu raised an eyebrow, but did not question him at all. No one ever doubted that Kazama had seized the leadership of his clan at a very young age, but no one else could prove that since Kazama's forceful ascension, there had not been any more sons or daughters of the clan that could exceed his talents.

Amagiri Kazutarou knew the game that Kazama was playing. He volunteered himself so the other warriors of the clan could stay and protect their home. He would rather those of greater caliber than he was take up arms in the Kazama village if need be. It was a selfless act, no doubt, but he would not do the same as he did. Unlike Kazama, he did not have a wise and able grandmother that acted as a matriarch of the clan. His wife was young, and his children merely infants. He was more needed at home than he was abroad. After all, the duties of all Oni clan-leaders were to their families. Also, if he had remained in Satsuma, Kazama would have another able lieutenant and ally in their home-base, which would not be a detriment to the defenses of their people.

"I will vouch for Kazama Chikage's abilities," Amagiri Kazutarou said, breaking the silence. "There is no warrior of greater prowess than the leader of the Western Oni-clans." Shimazu Hisamitsu gave them both an encouraging nod. Kazama Chikage would be the representative of the Kazama clan in the ranks of the Satsuma-han henceforth. "Meanwhile, I will send my younger brother, Kyuuju in your service. He is a calm and patient individual, and has been a close companion of Kazama through many dangers and conflicts."

"Very well," Shimazu Hisamitsu said. "I shall have Kazama Chikage and Amagiri Kyuuju in my service then. I plead you to aid my agents well. When the dark age of the coming conflict ends, so will the debts of your people to my family."

Both Kazama and Amagiri Kazutarou bowed at Shimazu Hisamitsu's conclusion. Henceforth, both Oni clans would once again be vassals to the rulers of the Satsuma-han since the ending months of the Sengoku Era. Whether the Satsuma-han emerged the victors, or the losers in the future, their debts would be cleared. They would only need to be humbled before the humans for a few more years, a drop of water in an endless ocean of time, and then, their people would truly be free.

* * *

HAN: Hello there everyone! I hope you are still here with me... the fic has been rather quiet these few days. _ In this chapter, I address Kazama and Amagiri's entrance into the service of the Satsuma-han. Originally I wanted to showcase Saigo Takamori (who was featured in Hakuouki: Bakumatsu Musouroku and also in The Quest) as the one who would induct the Oni into the politics of the Satsuma-han during the early days of the Bakumatsu, but I realized that a little upstart (at the time) like Saigo would certainly be unable to move someone like Kazama. Our favorite Oni leader needs the push from certain higher-ups, heh heh.

Wishica: Hello again! I hope you are doing well! It's a shame I couldn't catch you in Uni though.


	7. The Arrival

Although he was often critical of humans, Kazama Chikage could not ever deny that the humans were brilliant engineers and artisans. Ever since his arrival in Kyoto, he had never ceased to appreciate the beauty of the city, the capital of their crumbling nation that has lasted for a thousand years at least, and he realized that there… could be some use for humans after all.

Smoking on his pipe (he had forgotten how he had picked up that habit), he rested on the windowsill of his lodgings with one knee curled to his body and looked out to the scenery that greeted him, sprawling streets filled with majestic houses, temples, gardens and lakes, watched over by the Imperial Palace. When the night came, the city would be crowned with stars, but on the ground, its roads would be illuminated by countless lanterns…

The view of the night, however, was marred the sight of men patrolling in uniforms of light-green haori. They came from the Mibu district of the city, a gang of rowdy peasants that were playing the game of being samurai, thinking that they could change the world by just killing whoever the Bakufu asked them to kill. They had just been placed under the direction of the leaders of the Aizu-han, and called themselves the Kyoto Roshi-gumi, but were more like wolves attacking in a pack. There was no wonder that they had attained the nickname of "Miburou" (壬生狼), or rather, the "Wolves of Mibu."

Yet, even as the Roshi-gumi were the rising stars of the Bakufu, he had heard of another rumor. A rumor that perked his ears the moment he heard them. "There is word among the streets that the Roshi-gumi had acquired the services of a doctor practicing Western medicine," Amagiri told Kazama just that afternoon. "A man named 'Yukimura Koudou'."

"The sole survivor of the Yukimura clan," Kazama replied, recalling that ten years ago, the scout from Yase had reported that a son of the branch family had escaped the fire that razed his clan's village, one initiated by the rebels of the Tohoku region. "What is he doing there with those peasants?"

"Some form of research," Amagiri said, for once, without his usual confidence. For all his network of spies could do, he could not still ascertain the nature of the Roshi-gumi, and those they had associated with. It seemed that they were more than what the general populace of Kyoto had deemed them to be, a gang of killers with cold hearts… They seemed to be hiding a secret that no one else had yet discovered, and somehow, there was a cold chill that filled his spine whenever Kazama had thought of it… "Do you plan to investigate it?"

"We might as well," Kazama said lazily. The din of the Roshi-Gumi's heavy footsteps had gone, and he once again looked out the window. "We shall coax the secrets this city holds, and see what it bodes for us."

* * *

The first point of investigation would of course, be the one place where men gathered in large numbers, where alcohol flowed freely, and where women were abundant. In Kyoto, such a place would mean the Sumiya. It was where one could find Kyoto's many officials in the same place, drinking, eating, and making-merry, no matter their faction, or political ideology, surrounded by geiko and oiran, depending on the tastes of the men who held great parties there. It would be the perfect place to start.

When the sun had set, and the lanterns were raised, Kazama and Amagiri set out to Shimabara, the well-known pleasure quarter of Kyoto. Passing to the great gate that marked the entrance into the district, they soon entered a different world, a world of perfume, music, sake and laughter. The rule was that no weapons were allowed in Shimabara, but there were many who turned a blind eye to this, due to the chaos of the age. Every sensible man would want to defend himself, in times where he might be cut down the moment his guard was dropped, and no one, could afford to do so in those times, even if they were in the company of beautiful women, food and drink.

The Sumiya was the largest establishment in Shimabara. Its façade the longest and widest of all the shops and restaurants in the surrounding neighborhood. Women of the tea-houses or the pleasure houses came in and out with their chaperones and servants while men entered in droves. It was the best place to find and receive information, if one knew where to look.

"I will take the upper floors," Amagiri said, and moved with a few men who were headed up the stairs. Humans were such dull creatures that they could not notice that there was a tall, stocky man with red hair and blue eyes walking among them, but it had always been an Oni trait to walk around in the company of others unseen, being otherwise hidden in plain sight.

Amagiri's absence meant that Kazama was supposed to tackle the lower floors, which proved to be the greater mine of information that he had first expected. There were drunken men, or men who were set on getting drunk, left, right and center, and these were men whose tongues could be loosened easily with the availability of alcohol. He just needed to be sure which sort of information suited him and which did not.

He went from corridor to corridor, using his superior Oni senses to sieve through the words being uttered, but found nothing of particular interest. Most was talk of grandeur and bravery, but he doubted that any of the men present could carry their boasts into reality. Rolling his eyes in the foolery of men, he took a left turn and before his eyes appeared a most peculiar company.

There was a boy, around his teens, perhaps, with striking hair of navy and eyes the color of the setting sun. He was trying to sooth a much older man, who was tall, with tufts of white hair in a sea of blackened grey, tied into a mage. The old man had become loud and violent in drunken stupor, even forgetting who he was for a moment. The boy tried to bring the man back to his senses, but was interrupted by the appearance of three other men who sought to challenge the man into a duel.

Kazama could easily tell that this man was no pushover. He was a strong, powerful swordsman with the authority of a dictator. However, not all men were blessed with a perfect life. For all the ability and power that this man had… there was a weakness that was hidden from the façade of his existence, one that no human could easily see with their naked, and blurred eyes. "Leave it," he told the challengers. "You are hardly a match for a man like him."

All eyes were upon him when after he said those words, and he revealed himself, stepping away from the shadows and into the light. All looked upon him with suspicion and unease, which was an effect of his presence that he strove for. A steward directed the would-be combatants to the path that they were supposed to be heading to, and gave him a small nod in thanks for preventing a fight that would certainly lead up to costly damages.

The drunken man merely shrugged and began to leave with his servants. As he passed Kazama without so much as appreciating his presence, Kazama asked, "You are suffering from a debilitating disease, are you not? Your body should have been rendered useless at this point, it is a miracle that you can even stand now."

The man smiled crookedly in reply. "I am impressed that you can tell that even if we've only met," he said to Kazama, turning slightly to try to have a look at the stranger who so accurately assessed the predicament that he was in.

"I have met a man who had your condition," Kazama replied. It had occurred to an old grandfather that bought the vegetables from the plantations of his family at cost price to sell at the market. He had lived a long life providing for his large family, but the Gods decided to be cruel and curse him with such a disease, leaving him immobile, riddled with dementia. "Day by day, he slowly forgot who he was, nor could he recognize those he once knew… After suffering for too long, he passed on. You shall share his fate shortly."

The man harrumphed. "What of it?" he asked Kazama. "I am well aware that I will die, writhing in agony." There was such great resolve in his voice, as if he was trying to convince Kazama that he would not have wanted it in any other way.

Kazama watched him leave, and he mused to himself, "What an interesting human," he said, words clearly meant for that dying stranger. Perhaps the man already knew that he was no ordinary man as well… Thus, he started to continue his search for information anew, disbelieving that he would return to his lodgings empty-handed that night.

"What have you found?" Amagiri asked him when they were in the safety of the safe-house of the Satsuma-han.

"That there are strange sounds of wailing, dying men in several houses near Mibu, which get louder closer to the house where the Roshi-Gumi call home," Kazama answered. "Half of Mibu village is spooked, and they dare not find out the cause of such… disturbances. They seem to be crying out of thirst and hunger for blood." In the past, his people had told humans that the Oni drank the blood of humans and ate their flesh so that they would leave their people alone, but… to actually hear of humans with a literal thirst for blood, was ultimately interesting indeed.

Amagiri crossed his arms. "Meanwhile, I have received hearsay that Yukimura Koudou is indeed working with the Roshi-Gumi, but he does not treat their sick and wounded," he added. A doctor practicing Western medicine was priceless these days, and yet if they did not utilize his services, why did they hire him in the first place?

"Perhaps we should pay a visit to Mibu soon," Kazama suggested. "Let us see what the last son of the Yukimura has planned up his sleeve."

* * *

In the morning, when the sun had just barely risen, the two Oni moved towards Mibu village, with the permissions of the leaders of the Satsuma-han's presence in Kyoto, of course. They did not need to see an image of Yukimura Koudou, they would know him just by the presence he had, the Ki he held. They knew that they were not pursuing an Oni of great power, because Koudou did not have a great deal of Oni blood in his veins. Whatever he had as an Oni, was only an illustrious surname and the excellent training given to him as a scion of the great healer-clan.

Once in Mibu, Amagiri spotted a man with a shaven head, walking around the village in the most suspicious manner. Every few steps he took, he would look back to check if he was followed. A strange behavior to be having if one was not harboring secrets of any kind. They followed him to an almost-empty street, where they could see that he was headed to a certain house with no signage as to whom it had belonged to.

At that point of time, Kazama had been ready to pounce at his target. He wanted to know what Yukimura Koudou was doing, and he would have his information immediately. However, as he was ready to close in on Koudou, he felt a hand on his shoulder. The reaction was so natural, so immediate, that he drew his katana as he turned to face the person who dared to interrupt him.

It was a tall man, graced with greyish-lavender hair and eyes the color of mulberries. "Shiranui Kyo," Kazama greeted with a scowl, knowing that Yukimura Koudou would have already disappeared into one of the many houses in Mibu Village. Shiranui was the nephew of the current head of the Shiranui clan, an Oni clan that was based in Hagi, which was the capital city of the Chouhshu-han. If even he was there, it meant that the Choushu-han also required the assistance of the Oni. In their own politics, the Shiranui clan was not a vassal-family to the Kazama clan like the Amagiri, but for the fact that the head of the Kazama clan was also the leader of the Oni in the Western territories of Japan, some amount of respect was expected from Shiranui.

"Yo, Kazama, Amagiri," Shiranui greeted casually. Of course, not having the mark of a potential Oni-leader gave him certain freedoms, especially in conduct. Only those who were destined to lead were tied to the strictness of Oni traditions and culture. "Fancy meeting you here, even if it's a breeding ground for certain breeds of hounds."

"Hmph, I would guess that you have come here because of the humans," Kazama replied. "What has your family done to the Mori clan that they demand your presence here?"

"Well that's a little bit mean," Shiranui replied. "Aren't you pleased to see me here?"

"Get on with it, Shiranui," Amagiri continued. "Do not go around in circles." Shiranui, Amagiri and Kazama were the closest in age among the children of those in the Oni Council. While Amagiri and Kazama grew up in close proximity to one another, Shiranui Kyo would often come to the Kazama village for visits just because his uncle thought that it was best that his nephew spent some time with boys his age.

"Yare, yare, what am impatient bunch," Shiranui muttered under his breath. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you. I'm here to help a friend out, not out of some land-debt like the two of you." It was an interesting twist, of course, but Kazama had heard tell that the Shiranui clan has indeed been worshipped like gods by the humans in their own lands. Perhaps the Mori clan had only a hint of authority upon them because of this fact.

"A friend?" Amagiri inquired further. It was rare to hear of an Oni befriending a human, especially after the decimation of the Yukimura clan.

"He's an idiot, but he has a good heart. Says he wants to change this country and whatnot, but I'm just here to make sure that he doesn't kill himself," Shiranui answered plainly, with that infuriating (at least to Kazama) grin on his face still.

"This friend of yours… he serves the Choushu-han, does he not?" Kazama asked.

"Well, of course he does," Shiranui answered. "But that doesn't mean that I'll have to blow the two of you into pieces whenever I see you right? I'm still Shiranui Kyo, and I don't want the entire Oni Council after my blood if I do that." Arrogant bastard or no, Kazama Chikage was _not_ the Oni to be trifled with at all, and even Shiranui knew that, despite the current antagonism, whether apparent or not, between Choushu and Satsuma.

"Very well then," Amagiri concluded, and gave a belated greeting bow to Shiranui. "It was a pleasure meeting you,"

Shiranui nodded and waved them goodbye. "I'll be seeing you two idiots for sure!" he exclaimed, before turning his back and walking towards a different direction.

Once Shiranui was out of earshot, Kazama sighed. "That fool lost us our target," he growled. "I should have him skinned alive."

"You will risk the wrath of the Oni Council if you do that, Kazama," Amagiri cautioned. Shiranui was still the much-beloved nephew of the Shiranui clan-leader, after all. "We shall hunt for Yukimura Koudou another day."

Kazama harrumphed. "Another day, then."

* * *

HAN: Ah, finally Kazama and Amagiri enter the city of Kyoto. The drunk, old man Kazama talks to is Serizawa Kamo, who was one of the commanders of the Shinsen-Gumi before he was ordered to be assassinated by Hijikata and Kondou. The conversation between Serizawa and Kazama appears in Episode 10 of Reimeiroku's anime. It is implied that in the anime, and the movie, that Kazama has met Yukimura Koudou in Kyoto before he met Chizuru, so I decided to make them look for Koudou. I'm wondering if I should let Sen-hime appear soon or not, though. What do you think? Oh, and another point of conversation would be should I incorporate Kazama's routes in the two Hakuouki Yuugiroku games into this fic. If you want me to, then I'll be glad to oblige, since it sort-of shows how Kazama attempts to court Chizuru heh heh heh.

Wishica: Heh heh, meanwhile I hope you've enjoyed this fic so far!

OniKuShita: If I remember correctly, Kazama will meet Chizuru during the Kinmon No Hen, where he stops the Shinsen-Gumi from heading to Mt. Tennou.

aryaputra: Oh, do tell me when the second movie is online! It almost happened in Blood+ when Saya almost took Solomon's hand, but too bad damned Haji had to interfere *grinds teeth*.


	8. The Allegiances

Another night at the Sumiya, another night spent with unproductivity, surrounded by drunken men, slurred words and empty boasts abd challenges. But, he was not their for work that night, he was supposed to accompany a few comrades in arms for a round of drinks. Naturally, he would deign to entertain such a request, but the man who was buying the drinks was a man of enough influence to demand his civility. Saigo Takamori was more than a shrewd man, he was a man of utter daring and verocity that even the lords of the Shimazu clan had to take his words into their thoughts, and obviously did not like any challenges to his authority as the head of the affairs of the Satsuma-han out of their domain.

"You have not been drinking much, Kazama," Saigo said to Kazama, who merely picked at the food served to him with his chopsticks, doing aught else as the rest of the men talked and drank. "Is the sake here not to your tastes?"

Although his visage was apparently blank and patient, Kazama cursed inwardly. Food and drink provided in the Sumiya were famous because of their quality, hence, their cost as well. Saigo was not flaunting his money, but the fact that Kazama was bound by his blood-debt to the Satsuma-han, and thus was expected to adhere to certain codes of behaviour around him. A proud Oni like Kazama would most certainly have little patience human foolishness, much less human audacity.

"I am unaccustomed to such richness," Kazama replied with a bow and asked for permission to be excused. Even if he was subordinate to Saigo, he still had a reputable standing in the Satsuma-han, and there were many that deferred to him. In all truth, the sake brewed in his own village far surpassed those served there in the Sumiya.

"Be sure to return quickly," Saigo cautioned, and allowed him to leave the room. Kazama dutifully bowed civilly before rising to leave, and found a quiet in the corner where he could light his pipe and think in relative peace. But there was no peace to be had, because there was a shinobi waiting right at the door for him, a woman, at that, bearing a very familiar insignia, that of an orchid, a flower that held great meaning to the Oni. If the Imperial Japanese family used the chrysanthemum as theirs, than the ruling family of the Oni would be that of an orchid.

"Kazama Chikage-san, your presence is required by the Princess," the shinobi said to him. She was a woman of tall stature, and a voluptuous frame, crowned with raven-dark hair and violet eyes. There was no doubt that this shinobi was one of the Suzumori clan, for they were forsworn to protect the leaders and the future-leaders of the Yase clan. But the Princess that she had mentioned… he had sensed that it was not Senya. Senya had written to him just before he set out to Kyoto. Her focus would be on helping the new Oni hideouts. It was impossible for her to have come to Kyoto, unless… "Senya-dono is not here at the moment, and has placed her daughter in command of Yase village, and all the activities of the clan to her daughter, Sen-hime."

Sen-hime… Ten years ago, there had been mention of Senya's daughter. If he had not calculated wrongly, she would have been around her late teens by now, definitely already of marriageable age, and also old enough to take up some amount of leadership from her mother. This girl, and Yukimura Chizo's daughter, would be the only girl-children among the great Oni clans in more than a century… it was a great blessing to both the Yukimura and the Yase clans, but now… only the Yase clan had the joys of raising a daughter. He would like to see how this girl turned out, in the ten years of great change ever since the Yukimura clan was destroyed.

The shinobi led him to another room, and opened the shoji doors. In the room was Sen-hime, a lovely child with her mother's chestnut hair and pink-hued eyes. "It is an honor to finally meet the Ojou-sama of the Yase clan," Kazama greeted her with a curt nod. Whether or not she was the heir of the Yase clan, she was still under her mother's wing, and elaborate greetings were not needed with her.

"It is also mine, to meet the head of the Kazama clan," Sen-hime returned a similar greeting. "My mother sends her greetings to you. She is away in the north, though, helping the northern clans to prepare hiding their villages." It was hard to believe that she was only a teenager from the way she talked and her bearing. She was fanning herself with a purple fan as she spoke to him, and closed the fan gently when she finished. "Kazama, are you and Amagiri well-treated here by the Satsuma-han?"

"You should be asking how many times I've restrained myself from killing those foolish, puny humans in a day," Kazama replied, knowing that Sen-hime was trying to deal with his haughty attitude in stride. He would not make it such an easy job for her, particularly after all the tortures her mother put him through as a child. It would be petty of him to do such a thing, but it would be the only form of entertainment he would have at the moment, and he would savor his chance. "But I must say, you are taking up the rule of Kyoto well enough. Whose idea was it to take control of the Sumiya to gain information, I wonder?"

The girl blushed slightly. "It was my idea," she said with a sort of little giggle. Her mother had been at a loss of what to do to keep track of the news regarding the political activities of the humans, and she had suggested to her mother that they used the Sumiya as a starting point. Senya loved the idea so much that she began to buy out the old proprietors of the establishment, and installed her daughter as the owner, or so the story went. Kazama never doubted the capabilities of Senya in the administration of their people, and by the looks of things, it would seem greatly that her daughter took after her. Information was vital, and the one place to gather information, would be where people congregated in groups of their choosing. Marketplaces could not work because they were too open, too wide, and did not provide a false sense of security from eavesdropping, thus, a restaurant which provided all forms of entertainment to their guests was a brilliant idea indeed.

However, Kazama also had his own gripes against her little stratagem. "But… your sake is too coarse to be served to such distinguished guests," he complained slyly, knowing that the girl would take his teasing into account, and with some degree of unsurety in herself to follow. "Don't worry, I have already sent for a few vats of the best from my own village to be delivered to the Sumiya.

Sen-hime looked to be so angry that her face was red all over. "Kazama Chikage, that was an unfair jest!" she exclaimed, before forcing herself to calm down somewhat. She knew that the most foolish thing she could do was to fall into his trap of incessant taunts.

"It was an honest opinion from a customer," he replied. "If you want to keep the flow of your guests, you will have to improve on that, Sen-hime." The girl held much promise indeed, and would no doubt be the jewel of Senya's eyes. He had absolutely no qualms working with a person like her, in all honesty. "Think of the sake as a form of tribute from my family to yours."

There was nothing more that Sen-hime could do, but to sigh and accept his offer. "Well, since you leave me no choice, I'll thank you before hand," she said. "Now, let's get to business, shall we?" It was a suggestion that Kazama had welcomed very much, for there was much to be discussed with her. "What have you heard from the humans that would affect the lives of our people?" Many generations ago, the Yase-hime of the time had forbidden the Oni clans to interfere with the politics of the humans, lest they brought calamity upon themselves, but in this time, Senya knew that it was too much folly to ask for severances of that nature. However, there was a condition to their participation in the affairs of the humans, none of the Oni should cause undue harm to their own people, unless with valid reason.

"Whilst it is too early to discern the after-effects of the folly of humans in this growing conflict, I have chanced upon a news that might lighten the hearts of the Yase clan," Kazama replied, his teasing tone of voice melting away, replaced by one of duty and all seriousness. "We have caught sight of Yukimura Koudou, the last survivor of his clan, but we cannot tell what is alliegiances are, nor can we discern his intentions in working with the humans."

Any remnant of the Yukimura clan would now be protemcted by the Oni clans, if not for their illustrious surname. Sen-hime knew that she should somehow pay a visit to Yukimura Koudou, but she sensed that it was impossible. If he had wanted contact with their people, he would have known where to search for her family, for they were the protectors of the Imperial Household of Japan. "You suspect that he is hiding something, don't you?" Sen-hime asked Kazama, after a few moments' worth of pondering.

"The air of his presence foul," Kazama pointed out bluntly. "If he has something to hide, then perhaps his designs are not wholesome." He was not one for conspiracy theories, but he realized that there was a great possibility that Yukimura Koudo had dark intentions in his alliance with the Roshi-Gumi. "Has he reported to you?"

Sen-hime shook her head. "He has never approached us," she replied. Every self-respecting Oni knew that Yase was the dwelling of Oni nobility, and all who came to Kyoto would at least make an effort to send greetings to their leaders, just to make their presence known to them, so that the Yase clan could watch over them. It was odd, that Koudou would shun Oni company at all. "What do you think?"

"We cannot know anything until he makes his intentions known," Kazama said. "After all, people are innocent until they are proven guilty, or, until they reveal their stripes." It was getting late, and he knew that he would be missed if he stayed too long away from the function that the Satsuma-han had organized.

"Well, my mother wants me to speak to him soon, because she wants to know how the Yukimura clan was destroyed. It's been ten years since anyone has heard anything from the incident, and an eye-witness account would give some... clarity to the situation," Sen-hime added. It was the one failure of the Oni clans, that they could not come to their kindred in time to give them aid. The Yukimura clan were not pushovers in any case, and although their defenses were not as thick as that of the Kazama and the Yase, the humans should have had a difficult time bringing them to heel. It was downright impossible to have brought the total destruction of so great a family with only fire and a few guns.

Kazama perked his ears upon Sen-hime's interesting choice of words. "What you mean is, Senya-dono is suspicious that the Yukimura clan might be betrayed," he decoded what she had said. "Your mother might come to a heading, and yes, questioning Yukimura Koudou _would _ provide some clarity. I will do what I can to aid you in your search." As much as he valued the freefom of his actions, he knew that there was more than one angle to view the calamity, and as a fellow Oni leader, he knew that he had to play a part in aiding the prevention of any similar fate in the future.

Sen-hime gave him a curt bow of thanks. "Thank you, Kazama," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

"Don't mention it," he returned. "It is... heartening, to see you wanting to take after your mother's footsteps," he added. "Perhaps as time passes, you'll be half the Yase-hime she is. He left even before Sen-hime was able to retaliate, and headed back to the room where the Satsuma party was held. "Forgive my absence, I... ran into an old friend."

Saigo Takamori focused his attention upon Kazama. "An old friend indeed," he replied, knowing that there was more than what he had revealed. "You are a man of many means, Kazama Chikage. Perhaps you could utilize them in aiding our _han_."

I am not the master of everything my eyes can see," Kazama shot back, still maintaining eye contact with Saigo. "There are other powers at work here than my clan alone, and I am not the master of all of them. Rest assured that you are not the only ones with eyes and ears in this imperial capital of our country."

* * *

HAN: Ah, Kazama reports himself to Sen-hime. I originally wanted her to be the real Yase-hime, because I cannot think of a way for Senya to die, or rather, retire with some legitimate cause. If anything, she is a kid like Chizuru, and is learning her way around the ropes of leadership. However, it's clearly evident in Hakuouki that Sen-hime is very clear on what kind of a person Kazama is, and how to deal with him. You can see more of the interaction between Sen-hime and Kazama in Hakuouki Sekkaroku Episode 6. I would like to think that my portrayal of the Oni is truer to the games than the anime, particularly Kazama and in his route, and do tell me if I am too much fun fan-servicing myself and am making him too OOC for your tastes.

OniKuShita: Kazama first meets the Shinsen-Gumi during the Ikedaya Incident, and of course, it will be very interesting henceforth. I still have a bit of background storytelling to do before we come to the incident, so please do be patient with me. ^_^ Don't worry, this is a very Kazama-centric fanfic, since it's _his_ prequel after all.

Guest: Thanks!


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